This publication presents information about people aged 15 years and over who are not in the labour force: that is, neither employed nor unemployed. The data measure the potential supply of labour not reflected in employment and unemployment statistics, and measure the characteristics of that potential supply.

Statistics in this publication were obtained from the Persons Not in the Labour Force Survey, conducted throughout Australia in September 2008 as a supplement to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) monthly Labour Force Survey (LFS).

Information collected in the survey includes details about whether people not in the labour force wanted to work, reasons why they were not actively looking for work, or were not available for work, and their main activity while not in the labour force.

Many people not in the labour force could be considered to have some attachment to the labour force. For example, they may want a job, but for a variety of reasons are not actively looking for work even though they are available to start a job. There is an expectation that many of these people could move into the labour force in the short term, or could do so if labour market conditions changed.

CHANGES IN THIS ISSUE

From September 2008, a change has been made to the category 'Home duties or caring for children' for the data item 'Main activity when not in the labour force'. The category has been split into 'Home duties' and 'Caring for children'. For more information about the data item 'Main activity when not in the labour force' see paragraphs 25-26 of the Explanatory Notes.